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º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ and Laurus Trust partnership to support future sporting stars

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ and the Laurus Trust are joining forces as part of a new initiative that aims to support the sporting stars of the future.

(Left to right) Ed Haslam, Laurus Trust and Dr Ash Casey, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ shaking hands to seal the ELITE Pathway partnership.

L to R: Ed Haslam, Laurus Trust and º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ's Dr Ash Casey shaking hands to seal the ELITE Pathway partnership.

The Trust, which has Ofsted-outstanding Cheadle Hulme High School in Stockport as its founder school, has developed its brand new ELITE Pathway initiative to help talented students thrive and excel in the sporting arena while being fully supported in their academic achievements.

The ELITE Pathway is run by the Laurus Trust and supported by the Law Family Educational Trust.

The Pathway will provide specific opportunities not usually available within state education to those students with the potential to participate in sport at the highest level.

Up to 60 students across the Laurus Trust’s five secondary schools will have the opportunity to work with high-level coaches and receive expert support.

Ambitious students will work with some of sport’s leading clubs and trainers in tailored mentoring and coaching sessions. There will be personal training, strength and conditioning coaching, bespoke prehab and rehab sessions, video analysis and links with nutritionists, psychologists and physiotherapists. 

This is the first time º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has partnered with schools to deliver such an ambitious programme.

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has been named one of the UK’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research, academic excellence and unrivalled achievement in sport. It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS stars university rating scheme and named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects - consistently appearing in the top 10 national league tables.

Ed Haslam, Laurus Trust Director of Sporting Excellence said: “We’re incredibly excited to launch the ELITE Pathway to ensure every student has access to an all-round, educational, sporting experience. 

“Our principles very much align with those of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ and we are thrilled to have them on board to help support the training and education of our student-athletes.” 

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ will be working to support the Laurus Trust’s ELITE Pathway, which will focus on providing the selected students with the invaluable experience of living, training, and learning like a professional athlete, balancing the demands of their sporting dreams with academic success. 

Dr Ash Casey of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ said: “This partnership presents a fantastic opportunity to work with young people, their teachers and their schools to enhance what is happening across their education.

“When the Laurus Trust first approached us about a partnership, it was obvious that they placed learning, personal development and support of their students at the heart of what they were doing.

“This mirrors the university’s ethos, and this long-term partnership allows us to take what we do best – i.e., sport – and use it to enable Laurus individuals to excel.”

The Laurus Trust is sponsored by the Law Family Educational Trust, founded by Andrew Law.

Law added: “We are delighted to be supporting this fantastic partnership. It is a great example of our progress in trying to level the playing field in education relative to private schools, with particular focus on co-curricular initiatives.” 

To be considered for the ELITE Pathway, potential students need to meet stringent criteria. They must be playing at a regional or national level, dedicating a significant number of hours per week to their training and have an ambition to play at the highest level with the potential to be accepted onto an international or Olympic pathway. 

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 21/230

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2021 QS World University Rankings and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2022, and 10th in both the Guardian University League Table 2022 and the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes

The º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

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